Notes: Both the NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series will run the same tire codes this weekend . . . this is the first time Goodyear has brought this specific combination of left- and right-side tires to Richmond . . . this is one of three tracks at which Nextel Cup teams
will run this tire set-up this season . . . the others are Phoenix and New Hampshire . . . as on all NASCAR ovals less than one mile in
length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Richmond.

Goodyear Quote -- Mark Keto, Lead Engineer, Stock Car Racing: "There are two basic differences in this year's tire set-up at Richmond.
First, the compound of these tires are softer than those run here last year. Second, these left-sides feature some new construction features that we've integrated in this year. Teams just ran this set-up a few weeks back at Phoenix, so they should have a good handle on the characteristics.

"One thing we expect to see at Richmond is more braking due to the 2005 gear rule. We'll be montoring this closely throughout the race
to see what impact it has on tire performance."

RACE BONUS INFO

The NASCAR Nextel Cup Leader Bonus is $80,000 at Richmond International Raceway for leading the points and winning the race. The $360,000 annual award is paid at $10,000 per race to the point leader at the end of each event if the driver is also the winner. The award increases by $10,000 each week the it goes unclaimed. If the point leader is not the race winner at the end of the year, the balance of the award is distributed among the top-10 finishers in the drivers point standings.
2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Leader Bonus Winners:
#48-Jimmie Johnson, Las Vegas, 3/13/2005, $30,000
(5-9-2005)

MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award: The MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award is worth $10,000 to any eligible NASCAR Nextel Cup driver who leads a race at the halfway mark and displays the MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award decal on their race car. An additional $5,000 is earned if that driver also wins the race. If the race-win bonus is not earned, the $5,000 rolls into the next weeks award. Eligible drivers earn two points for winning the MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award and another point if they also go on to win the race. The driver who earns the most points during the season will win the MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award Championship.
Bonus for leading at halfway and winning at Richmond: $5,000Winners for 2005 so far:
Daytona: #20-Tony Stewart, $10,000
California: #01-Joe Nemechek, $10,000
Las Vegas: #97-Kurt Busch, $10,000
Atlanta: #16-Greg Biffle, $10,000
Bristol: #2-Rusty Wallace, $10,000
Martinsville: #20-Tony Stewart, $10,000
Texas: #16-Greg Biffle, $45,000*
Phoenix: #97-Kurt Busch, $15,000*
Talladega: #24-Jeff Gordon, $15,000*
Darlington: #16-Greg Biffle, $15,000*
(* won race and bonus)
NOTE: the award goes to the eligible driver leading on the 5th consecutive green lap following a mid-race caution if one occurs.
#48-Jimmie Johnson and #29-Kevin Harvick are not on the program.
Capital One does Lowe's Credit card and doesn't wish to have MBNA on the #48
The #29 has the GM Card (Household Bank) as an associate sponsor on the B-post.MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award Standings:
Greg Biffle, 8
Kurt Busch, 5
Tony Stewart, 4
Jeff Gordon, 3
Joe Nemechek, 2
Rusty Wallace, 2
(5-9-2005)

IN-CAR AUDIO SITES

Fans Can Online(NASCAR Online)
looks like this is all that there is out there now....

QUALIFYING, PRACTICE and RESULTSnews and links

Kahne FINALLY Wins: #9-Kasey Kahne won the Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway for his first ever Nextel Cup win in his 47th race, after finishing 2nd six times. Kahne is the 167th driver to score a Nextel Cup win. The win puts Kahne into the Nextel All-Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway next Saturday. Kahne led the most laps with 242 and beat #20-Tony Stewart, who finished 2nd, and made a classy move on pit road, walking out to talk and congratulate Kahne. The rest of the top-five: #12-Ryan Newman, #5-Kyle Busch and #29-Kevin Harvick. Kahne's win is the first for the Dodge Charger since Nov. 20, 1977, at [now defunct] Ontario Motor Speedway, Neil Bonnett was the driver, it is the 125th win for the Dodge Charger. It is Dodge's first win of 2005. Points leader #48-Jimmie Johnson wrecked early and finished 40th, his large points lead is now down to 41 over #16-Greg Biffle. #24-Jeff Gordon had troubles and DNF's, finishing 39th.
For race results/results links, see Jayski's Richmond Race Results/Awards page.(5-14-2005)

Race Notes - Richmond:
 Kasey Kahne won the Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway, scoring his
career-first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 47th career start.
 The last driver to win from the Bud Pole was Joe Nemechek at Kansas, October 10, 2004.
 Bill Elliott was the last driver to win at Richmond from the Bud Pole: March 1992, 26 Richmond races ago.
 Ryan Newman was the last driver to score his career-first victory from the Bud Pole. Newman won his
career-first race at New Hampshire in September 2002.
 Several drivers have won their first race from the Bud Pole including Hershal McGriff, Lou Figaro,
Frank Mundy, Donald Thomas, Norm Nelson and many others.
 Kahne joined Carl Edwards as the second first-time winner this season.
 Kahne scored six runner-up finishes before posting his career-first victory. He joined Marvin Panch,
Mark Martin and Glen Wood for sixth-place on the list of drivers with runner-up finishes before their first
victory. James Hylton holds the record, scoring 12 second-place finishes before scoring his career-first
victory at Richmond in March 1970.
 This marked the first Dodge Charger victory since Neil Bonnett won at Ontario in November 1977.
 Kahne became the seventh different winner in 2005.
 Kahne climbed from 19th to 15th in the NASCAR NEXTEL CUP point standings, 301 behind point leader
Jimmie Johnson.
 Kahne led 242 laps, the most in his career, in leading the most laps for the first time this season. He has led
the most laps in two previous races: Texas  2004 and second Charlotte - 2004.
 This is Kahnes first top-10 finish in three races at Richmond.
 Kahne has scored four top-10 finishes in 11 races this season.
 This was the sixth career victory for team owner Ray Evernham.Notebook Items
 Five of the top-10 finishers at Richmond scored their best Richmond finish: Kasey Kahne (first) Kyle Busch
(fourth), Greg Biffle (sixth), Elliott Sadler (seventh) and Michael Waltrip (ninth).
 Tony Stewart (second) posted his eighth top-10 finish in 13 races at Richmond. Stewart has scored six top-10
finishes in 11 races this season. He climbed from seventh to sixth in the point standings.
 Ryan Newman (third) posted his fifth top-10 finish in seven races at Richmond. He scored his fifth top-10 finish in
2005. He climbed from 10th to seventh in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings.
 Kyle Busch (fourth) posted his third top-10 finish of 2005 in his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Richmond race.
 Kevin Harvick (fifth) scored his third top-10 finish in nine races at Richmond. Harvick has scored four top-10
finishes in 2005. He climbed from 11th to eighth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings.
 Jimmie Johnson (40th) remained first in the point standings with a 41-point lead over second-place Greg Biffle.
Johnson lost 86 points in posting his second DNF of the season. He has scored eight top-10 finishes in 11 races this
season, more than any other driver. Johnson scored his worst finish and first DNF in seven races at Richmond
International Raceway.
 The last time Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson posted DNFs in the same race was at Dover in June 2004.
 Kyle Busch (fourth) was the highest finishing Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year contender for the seventh time in 11
races in 2005.
 Mark Martin (15th) has been running at the finish in 33 consecutive races, the longest current streak.
 Nine of the top-10 positions in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings changed at Richmond International
Raceway.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(5-14-2005)

Rumblings - Richmond:
 You certainly can't say it came as a surprise.... Kasey Kahne bagged his first-ever Nextel Cup victory tonight at Richmond International Raceway as he bested Tony Stewart by 1.67 seconds to record the win in the Chevy American Revolution 400. In a race that the top-two
dominated (they led 385 of the 400 laps), Kasey becomes the second first-timer of the season (Carl Edwards won at Atlanta) and gets his initial win after being the bridesmaid six times.
 Kasey is the 7th different winner this season, and the victory puts him in next week's Nextel All-Star Challenge. Oh yeah, it was worth $257,325 as well.
 Ryan Newman (3rd) had his best finish since he was runner-up at Phoenix last November.
 Kyle Busch (4th) had his best finish since he was 2nd at Las Vegas in March.
 Scott Wimmer (20th) had his best finish since he was 20th at Atlanta in March.
STREAKIN....
Tony Stewart has 3 Top-10's in a row.
Michael Waltrip has 4 Top-10's in the last 5 races.
Jamie McMurray has 4 Top-10's in the last 5 races.
 The Rookie Report: Kyle Busch (4th) is the Rookie of the Race for the 7th time this season. Travis Kvapil was 22nd and Stanton Barrett did not compete this weekend.
 This Week's Elevator....UP: Operator of the Week is Bobby Labonte (+31). DOWN: The Big Dropper was Johnny Sauter (-28 ). Slim pickins' this week in the "Shaft" as the Top-7 finishers all started inside the Top-10.
 Jimmie Johnson took a big hit in the points tonight. The lead that was 127 last week is now just 41 over new second place runner Greg Biffle. JJ's early exit also brings four more drivers under the "Stayin' Alive" line as we've got 19 drivers in the "Chase" with 15 races to go.
Kyle Busch (27th to 22nd) gained the most spots tonight and Mark Martin (6th to 10th) fell the most positions. No change in the exempt list as Jason Leffler is now 32 markers out of the Top-35.(Stock Car Fans)(5-14-2005)

The Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway:
The UNOFFICIAL Top Ten (start pos in parens), lap leaders, cars out, cautions and some notesafter 400 of 400 laps:

Cautions: 9 for 53 laps

Caution 9 - Laps 390 - 393: #7-Gordon gets into #88-Jarrett, Jarrett spins and Gordon gets into Jarrett again, lots of damage to the #88.Caution 8 - Laps 378 - 386: #66-Sadler lost an engine, #0-Bliss got in the oil and hit the turn 2 wall, Bliss is OKCaution 7 - Laps 354 - 357: #77-Kvapil got loose in turn 4 and spun around.Caution 6 - Laps 333 - 339: #7-Gordon got high in turn 4 and slid along the wall and got sideways a bit, but recovered and drove on.Caution 5 - Laps 234 - 242: #20-Stewart spun out and around in turn 4 while leading, no damage and kept it off the wall and drove on, laughing over the radio about it.Caution 4 - Laps 166 - 170: #18-Labonte gets into #2-Wallace in turn 4, Wallace spun around, but drove on. #24-Gordon smacked the wall avoiding Wallace and had to make an extra stop, but is running slow.Caution 3 - Laps 128 - 133: #45-Petty gets into #10-Riggs who spins but fails to hit anything and drives on.Caution 2 - Laps 82 - 86: #07-Blaney moves up into #40-Marlin, #15-Waltrip slowed up as did #48-Johnson, #77-Kvapil didn't and tapped #48-Johnson, who went hard into the inside beginning of the backstretch retaining wall..THEN as Johnson was driving the car back to pit road, something broke and the car veered into the other end of the backstretch inside retaining wall, really damaging the car.Caution 1 - Laps 65 - 68: #09-Sauter loses a right front tire and slaps the turn 4 wall.

RACE/PIT NOTES: (as noted heard on TV or Radio)
---- #97-Busch, gets back on the lead lap as the lucky dog on caution 9, came into pit and get tires.
---- during the 8th caution, #31-Burton got a new power steering belt installed as the old was gone, speedy dry was put down and they are taking a little extra time to clean up.
---- during the 7th caution, three cars came in to pit, all on the end of the lead lap cars, #21-Rudd, #31-Burton, #6-Martin. Burton is having a power steering problem and came in a 2nd time to check on the problem.
---- during the 6th caution, all the lead lap [14] cars came into pit, #9-Kahne won the race off pit road.
---- on lap 325, #07-Blaney slowed on the track while running 9th and hit the pits after cutting down a tire.
---- on lap 308, #8-Earnhardt Jr. goes down a lap.
---- just before the caution 5 green flag, #97-Busch, in 2nd place, made a unscheduled pit stop as he reported a grinding and the team had a hung lugnut, Busch lost a lap.
---- on lap 239, #24-Gordon is back on the track after the crew made repairs, Gordon comes out 51 laps down.
---- on lap 233, #8-Earnhardt Jr. was close to getting put down a lap by leader #20-Stewart, then Stewart spun and Earnhardt stays on the lead lap.
---- #24-Gordon to the garage on lap 198, trying to repair the suspension.
---- on lap 184, #24-Gordon, already a lap down, made an unscheduled pit stop for tires and is now 6 laps down.
---- during the 4th caution, #31-Burton and #42-McMurray made contact with #31 gets a little right front damage.
---- #24-Gordon made two pit stops during the 4th caution to check the toe-in.
---- #8-Earnhardt Jr. was penalized for speeding exiting put road on the 3rd caution stops, he went to the end of the longest line at the restart.
---- #21-Rudd made a 2nd pit stop during the 3rd caution as he is having handling problems.
---- all the lead lap cars came into pit during the 3rd caution.
---- good UPS commercial with the UPS drivers now getting the cars since Dale is gonna drive the truck....plan B
---- ut oh, lap 126, #15-Waltrip is running 20th and #43-Green is 21st.
---- the #6 team had a tire roll accross pit road during the first caution but was not penalized as #0-Bliss hit the tire and caused it to go, no penalty was given.
---- during the 1st caution, #19-Mayfield and #09-Sater got together, both drove on.
---- #75-Garvey went down a lap quick and missed his pit stall on lap 27 and had to drive around.
---- command to start engines 7:29pm/et; green flag flies at 7:36pm/et
---- To the BACK: [0]: none reported

Kahne wins pole at Richmond: #9-Kasey Kahne won the Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway with a near track record lap of 129.964 [record is 129.983 set last May], for his 2nd Budweiser pole of 2005 and 6th career pole, he also won the pole for the Busch race tonight. It is also Kahne's 2nd pole in a row [he won the pole at Darlingto last week] and he is the first driver ever to win the pole for both the Busch Series race and Cup race at Richmond. #12-Ryan Newman just missed the pole with the backup car and will start 2nd, followed by #20-Tony Stewart, #97-Kurt Busch and #38-Elliott Sadler. Missing the race: #38-Lepage, #34-Fuller, #27-Shelmerdine and #00-Long who wrecked his backup car on his first lap but drove the car to the garage.
See speeds on my Jayski's Practice/Qualifying Page.(5-13-2005)

Richmond Qualifying Notes:
 Kasey Kahne won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bud Pole for the Chevy American Revolution 400, lapping Richmond International Raceway in 20.775 seconds at 129.964 mph. Brian Vickers holds the track-qualifying record of 20.772 seconds, 129.983 mph, set May 14, 2004.
 This is Kahnes sixth career Bud Pole in 47 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races. His most recent Bud Pole was last week at Darlington.
 This is Kahnes first top-10 start in three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway.
 Kahne, who also won the Busch Pole for the NASCAR Busch Series race later tonight, became the first driver to sweep weekend poles at Richmond. The last driver to sweep both poles in a weekend was Mark Martin at Rockingham in October 1999.
 There has been a different Bud Pole winner in each of the past 11 races at Richmond International Raceway.
 Ryan Newman posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 20.801 seconds, 129.801 mph  and will join Kahne on the front row for the Chevy American Revolution 400. Newman has started from a top-10 starting position in each race this season, the only driver to do so. He has also started from the top-10 in six of his seven races at Richmond, including four times from the front row.
 This is the fifth Bud Pole for Dodge in 2005. Chevrolet has four Bud Poles and Ford has two.
 Tony Stewart (third) posted his sixth top-10 start in 13 races at Richmond, but his first since May 2003. It is his sixth top-10 start this season.
 Kurt Busch (fourth) scored his second top-10 start in nine races at Richmond and his fifth this season.
 Elliott Sadler (fifth) posted his first start better than 14th in 13 races at Richmond. It is his fifth top-10 start in 2005. In those five top-10 starts, Sadler has started a one race in each of the top-five starting positions.
 This was the first time this season that no drivers relied on guaranteed starting positions to make the race.
 The furthermost back in the field that a Richmond race winner has started on the 3/4-mile configuration was 25th by Matt Kenseth in the 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(5-13-2005)

Stock Car Fans - Ramblings - Richmond:
 Kasey Kahne double-dipped today at Richmond International Raceway as he grabbed the pole for tonight's Busch race as well as the Bud Pole for Saturday's Chevy American Revolution 400. It's the second top-spot in a row for Kahne and the 6th of his Nextel Cup career.
 Ryan Newman will start outside the front row after being quickest in practice then crashing and going to a backup car.
 Tony Stewart (3rd) has his best starting spot since he had the pole at Chicagoland in July of 2003!
 Jeff Burton (12th) has his best starting spot since he lined up 6th at Daytona in February.
 Johnny Sauter (13th) has his best starting spot since he qualified 10th at Bristol in March of 2004.
 Mark Martin (14th) has his best starting spot since he lined up 12th at Atlanta in March.
 Tony Raines (31st) makes his first Cup start of the season.
STREAKIN....
 Ryan Newman has 18 Top-10 starts in a row.
 Greg Biffle has 9 Top-10 starts in the last 10 races.
 Elliott Sadler has 4 Top-10 starts in the last 5 races.
 The Trouble Train left town with four cars in tow.....Kevin Lepage (his 5th DNQ of the season), Jeff Fuller (the #34 car's 6th DNQ), Kirk
Shelmerdine (that car has failed to qualify in all seven attempts this season), and Carl Long (his 4th DNQ).
 Darlington raised the bar last week, so Richmond's got a tough act to follow. With the next two weeks at Lowe's we could be in for a stretch of good racing continuing under the lights.(Stock Car Fans)(5-13-2005)

Qualifying Order for the Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway is up, 47 drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, #7-Robby Gordon is due out first, the last driver scheduled out is #12-Ryan Newman, in his backup.. For the Qualifying order, see my Jayski's Richmond Qualifying/Grid/Practice Page.(5-13-2005)

The One and Only Practice for the Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway is over, the fastest:
#12-Newman 129.045 - but wrecked
#97-Busch 128.522
#21-Rudd 128.011
#31-Burton 127.714
#77-Kvapil 127.593
slowest: #27-Shelmerdine 120.487 and #00-Long 123.130.
incidents: 76 minutes into practice, #12-Newman slammed the wall and pancaked the right side, he drove the car to the hauler and will go to a backup.
90 minutes into practice, #00-Carl Long backed hard into the wall, will need to go to a backup...if he has a backup.
most laps run: #6-Martin, 110; #9-Kahne, 103Best average speed [all laps averaged]
(from NASCAR.com's leaderboard service)
#21-Rudd, 124.557 [3rd fastest lap], 47 laps run
#12-Newman 124.376 [1st fastest lap[, 67 laps run
#9-Kahne, 124.278 [26th fastest lap], 103 laps run
See speeds on my Jayski's Practice/Qualifying Page.(5-13-2005)

Eleven Drivers Penalized: Eleven drivers were penalized for being late for inspection at Darlignton Raceway last week. Ten teams/drivers will be held for 15 minutes before they can practice today at Richmond: #5-Busch, #7-Gordon, #8-Earnhardt Jr., #10-Riggs, #15-Waltrip, #17-Kenseth, # 41-Mears, #42-McMurray, #48-Johnson and #99-Edwards. #24-Gordon has to sit on pit road for 30 minutes. The drivers and cars need to sit on pit road, can't go out to practice or work on the car.(Speed Channel's Happy Hour practice coverage).(5-13-2005)

Coverage of Qualifying for the for the Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway on Friday, May 13, 2005 is scheduled to start at 6:10pm/et.
TV: Speed Channel at 6:00pm/et.
Radio: MRN Radio and XM Satellite NASCAR Radio
Internet: NASCAR.com [Pit Command/Trackside - paid]
Jayski: Jayski's Semi-Live Qualifying Page.
Qualifying Re-Air: none.

Race Penalties Now Less Severe: Beginning with the Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville, eight infractions that used to bring a stop-and-go penalty will now be addressed with a pass through the pits. They include a crew member jumping over the wall too soon, too many crewmen in the pit service area, using more than two air wrenches during a stop, and tossing the fuel or catch cans. Other violations now covered by a pass-through penalty are: crew members returning from the equipment side of the wall, illegal use of extension poles, failing to carry the front air wrench to the pit wall side, and noncompliant refueling. A stop-and-go requires a car to return to its pit box for 15 seconds, while the lesser penalty is merely going back through pit road at the required speed limit.(FoxSports/AP)(3-20-2005)

Impound Rules: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Impound Procedures In 2005
The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series will impound cars after qualifying in 21 of 36 championship events plus the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge. The following are tracks in which NASCAR will implement this procedure: Feb. 27-California; Mar. 20-Atlanta; Apr. 3-Bristol; Apr. 23-Phoenix; May 7-Darlington; May 14; Richmond; May 21-Lowes (All-Star Challenge); June 12-Pocono; June 19-Michigan; July 2-Daytona; July 17-New Hampshire; July 24-Pocono; Aug. 14-Watkins Glen; Aug. 21-Michigan; Aug. 27-Bristol; Sept. 10-Richmond; Sept. 18-New Hampshire; Oct. 9-Kansas; Oct. 30-Atlanta; Nov. 20-Homestead.
Following qualifying for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event, the cars will be escorted to their respective garage stalls by a NASCAR Official (with the exception of the top five cars, which will be placed in a designated area for post-qualifying inspection).
Once the car is pushed to the garage stall, only two crew members will be allowed to remain in the garage.The following work list will be allowed:
1. Shut off electrical switches and master power switch;
2. Remove radio;
3. Check air pressure in tires;
4. Cover the car; and,
5. Crewmembers exit garage and garage doors close.
Pit road selection will be immediately after the last car has qualified.
Procedure for race day for NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams:
Garage Stall A maximum of two (2) crew members per car, accompanied by a NASCAR Official, will be allowed in the garage stall. Below are the procedures that will be completed in the garage stall:Teams May:
1. Plug in oil heater (if teams use a generator, it must remain outside the garage);
2. Open hood;
3. Prime oil system;
4. Back car out of garage to start;
5. Turn master switch on;
6. Open oil cooler bypass valve (optional)
7. Start engine;
8. Close hood;
9. Set tire pressure;
10. Torque wheels;
11. Install radio and water bottle;
12. Remove or repair tape on front of car (i.e. grille, valance, brake ducts.); and
13. If applicable, BST or Pi Research may replace equipment batteries under NASCAR supervision.Teams May NOT:
1. Enter the garage without a NASCAR Official present;
2. Jack up any part of the car;
3. Add water or pressurize the cooling system;
4. Climb inside the car;
5. Adjust wedge bolts, shocks or sway bars;
6. Add fuel, oil or brake fluid;
7. Remove air box; or
8. Adjust fenders, spoiler or any body components.Fuel Pumps: A maximum of three (3) crewmembers per car at anytime, escorted by NASCAR Officials, may go to the fuel pumps. For Tracks 1 mile and under, a maximum of two gallons of fuel will be added. For Tracks 1 ฝ miles, a maximum of three gallons of fuel will be added. For Tracks above 1 ฝ miles, a maximum of four gallons of fuel will be added.Height Platform A maximum of three (3) crewmembers per car at anytime, accompanied by NASCAR Officials, may escort the respective car to the height platform.Teams May:
1. Adjust front and rear wedge bolts: A maximum of one (1) turn for front bolts. A maximum of 1 ฝ turn for rear bolts.
2. Adjust track bar at frame end adjuster. No maximum on track bar adjustment.
3. Adjust external shock bleeds.Teams May NOT:
1. Change any components.
2. Add spring inserts.
Scales A maximum of three (3) crewmembers per car at anytime, accompanied by NASCAR Officials, may escort the respective car to the scales. Any car that does not meet required weight specifications may be subject to penalty. After completion, the generator will be reconnected to the car and pushed to pit road. Generators will be permitted out on pit road with the car.(NASCAR)(3-18-2005)

Gear Ratio rule, teams will have 2 choices of what gear ratio to use at all tracks BUT Talladega and Daytona, supposedly the gear ratio's will be between 3.80 and 4.00

Hard Liquor sponsors now allowed

NASCAR is using a computer timing system to check for speeding on pit road

The top 35 teams in Owners Points will be guaranteed to make the race, the final teams by speed, then field set by speed, for the first FIVE races, 2004 owners points standings will be used for the top 35.

The Impound Rules will be used at over half the races.

Each car must have a full tank of fuel in the gas tank when the driver makes a qualifying lap, for ALL races.

How to Calculate Track Speeds: use the formula Speed = Distance divided by Time. Distance is Track Length, and Lap Time into Hours. Once hour is 3600 seconds, so the calculation for a 48 second lap at Daytona(2.5 miles) would be: Speed = 2.5 x (3600/48), = 2.5 x 75 = 187.500mph. For a 19 second lap at Bristol(.533 miles): Speed = .533 x (3600/19), = .533 x 189.474 = a speed of 100.990mph

How to break a tie during qualifying? (same speed/time) When drivers are tied for a starting spot during qualifying, it is broken by owners points standings(not drivers).

TRACK RECORDS, NOTES, RULES and NEWS

WHO'S HOT heading to Richmond:
 Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle have each won three races in 2005, more than any other drivers.
 Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to score eight top-10 finishes in 10 races in 2005.
 Teammates Greg Biffle (third in points) and Kurt Busch (fourth in points) have each scored six top-10 finishes in
2005, second only to Jimmie Johnson.
 Jeff Gordon has climbed from 12th to second in the point standings in the last five races.
 Dale Earnhardt Jr. has climbed from 27th to ninth in the point standings. He remained ninth for the second straight
week.
 Jeff Burton has climbed from 23rd to 16th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings in the last five races.
 Jamie McMurray began the season ranked 32nd in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. He has climbed to
eighth in the standings nine races later.
 Roush Racing drivers have won five of the 10 races in 2005. All were on superspeedways. Hendrick Motorsports
drivers have scored four victories and Richard Childress Racing has scored one.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(5-9-2005)

Richmond Nuggets
Career Milestones
 Ricky Rudd is expected to make his 850th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start at Richmond International Raceway. Rudd ranks third all-time in starts, behind Richard Petty with 1,185 and Dave Marcis with 883.
 Rudd is expected to make his 763rd consecutive career start this week at Richmond International Raceway, extending the all-time record for consecutive starts by a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver.

Richmond Bud Pole Winners
There have been 10 different Bud Pole winners in the last 10 races at Richmond International Raceway. Richmond Winners
There have been seven different winners in the seven NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Richmond since September 2001.

Owner Would You Believe?
There have been seven different race winners in the last seven races at Richmond, all with different car owners.

Sweeps at Richmond
There have been eight sweeps at Richmond since twice-a-year racing began there in 1959. Rusty Wallace (1989) was the last driver to sweep both races at Richmond, 16 years ago.

Leading the way at Richmond
 Rusty Wallace leads all active drivers with 3,023 laps led at Richmond.
 Ryan Newman is the only driver that has led at least one lap in all of his races at Richmond (six).

Tough at Richmond in 2004
 Dale Earnhardt Jr. scored top-five finishes in both Richmond races in 2004, finishing first in this race one year ago
and second there last fall.
 Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin scored top-10 finishes in both races at Richmond in 2004.

Up Front at Richmond
 Dale Earnhardt Jr. has finished among the top 10 in eight of his 11 races at Richmond. He has scored two victories
and six top-five finishes in those 11 races and has never had a DNF at the Virginia short track.
 Matt Kenseth has scored six top-10 finishes in his 10 races at Richmond. Five of those came in his last six races
there, including a victory in the 2002 Monte Carlo 400.
 Jeff Gordon has scored three straight top-10 finishes at Richmond. No other drive has more than two straight.

Selected Richmond History
 Richard Petty competed in 63 races at Richmond, more than any other driver. Petty won 13, (21 percent) scored 34
top-fives (54 percent) and 41 top-10s (65 percent) in those 63 races. He led 5,128 laps at Richmond with a 10.4
starting average and a 9.1 average finish.
 Dale Earnhardt scored five victories in 44 races at Richmond (11 percent), 25 top-five finishes (57 percent) and 33
top-10 finishes (75 percent) in those 44 races at Richmond. Earnhardt had a 13.2 starting average and an 8.3
finishing average at Richmond.
 Ricky Rudd leads all active drivers with 52 starts at Richmond International Raceway. Richard Petty leads all
drivers with 63 races at the Virginia short-track.
 Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with four Bud Poles at Richmond.
 Rusty Wallace leads all active drivers with six victories at Richmond International Raceway.
 Rusty Wallace leads all active drivers with 21 top-five finishes in 42 races at Richmond International Raceway.
 Rusty Wallace has scored 29 top-10 finishes at Richmond International Raceway, the most among active drivers.
 Michael Waltrip has posted 11 DNFs in 36 races at Richmond, the most among active drivers.
 Rusty Wallace has led 3,023 laps at Richmond International Raceway, more than any other active driver.
 Jeff Gordon has a 6.875 starting average in 24 races at Richmond International Raceway, the best among drivers
with starts in 10 or more races at Richmond. Ryan Newman has a 4.2 starting average in six races at Richmond.
 Dale Earnhardt Jr. has an 8.8 average finish in 11 races at Richmond, the best among active drivers.

Richmond Woes
 Michael Waltrip, who has competed in 38 races at Richmond, scored his first Richmond top-10 finish (10th) in this
race one year ago.
 Robby Gordon has finished 26th or worse in nine of his 10 races at Richmond. His fourth-place finish there in this
race in 2003, marked his only success at the Virginia short-track.
 Jeff Green has finished 13th or worse in nine of his 10 races at Richmond. His third-place finish there in September
2002 marked his only success at the Virginia short-track.
 Dale Jarrett has finished 13th or worse in his last six races at Richmond.
 Sterling Marlin has not scored a top-10 finish in his last 10 races at Richmond.

Strong Starters at Richmond International Raceway
 Ryan Newman has posted five straight top-five starts at Richmond.
 Jeff Gordon has scored seven top-10 starts in his last eight races at Richmond.

And Beat Goes On
 Jeff Burton has been running at the finish in all of his 21 races at Richmond International Raceway.
 Ken Schrader has been running at the finish in his last 30 races at Richmond.

Season Nuggets
Richmond May Spell Trouble for Some of the Top 10
 First-place Jimmie Johnson has finished 11th or worse in five of his six races at Richmond. His second-place finish
in this race one year ago is his best Richmond finish.
 Third-place Greg Biffle has scored just one top 10 finish in five races at Richmond.
 Fourth-place Kurt Busch has scored just one top-10 finish in eight races at Richmond.
 Fifth-place Elliott Sadler has finished 12th or worse in all 12 of his races at Richmond. His best Richmond finish,
12th, came in this race one year ago.
 Seventh-place Tony Stewart has finished 19th or worse in four of the last five races at Richmond.
Marching to the Front
Jeff Gordon has climbed from 12th to second in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings in the last five races.
Gordon has scored two DNFs in the first 10 races of the season. No other driver ranked 16th or better in the current point
standings has more than one. Gordon is 127 points behind first-place Jimmie Johnson.
Defending NEXTEL Cup Champion at Richmond
Kurt Busch has competed in eight races at Richmond scoring just one top-10 finish. Like Johnson, he has been
running at the finish in all of his races there.

Starting Up Front Never Hurt
Only Ryan Newman has started every race in 2005 from a top-10 starting position.

Streaks
 Mark Martin has been running at the finish in 32 consecutive races, the longest current streak.

Get Those Bonus Points
Greg Biffle is the only driver to lead at least one lap in eight of the 10 races in 2005. Biffle has led 739 laps this
season, 338 more than Tony Stewart (401) the next highest lap leader

Maintaining a Top-10 Standard
 Kurt Busch has ranked in the top-10 of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series point standings for 45 consecutive races
since Rockingham in February 2004, the longest current streak.
 Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch are the only drivers that have ranked in the top 10 in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup
point standings after every race in 2005.

2005 Struggles
 Dale Earnhardt Jr. has led only five laps in 2005. Dale Jarrett has led only one.
 Matt Kenseth ranks 24th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings after 10 races in 2005. One year ago he was
fourth.
 Bobby Labonte (33rd) has posted five DNFs in 10 races in 2005, more than all other drivers. Labonte ranked ninth in
the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings one year ago.
 Robby Gordon (40th) has competed in six of the 10 races in 2005. He posted DNFs in four and has failed top qualify
in four. One year ago he ranked 19th in the point standings.

Traffic at Richmond: As you begin to gather your favorite drivers paraphernalia and pack your coolers for the FUNAI 250 NASCAR Busch Series and Chevy American Revolution 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races on Friday and Saturday nights, May 13-14, remember to head out to Richmond International Raceway a little earlier than you may have in the past. Please be aware that repairs are still being made to the damage on the Laburnum Avenue bridge caused by Tropical Storm Gaston. As a result, traffic will be limited to two lanes heading westbound and one lane heading eastbound on Laburnum Avenue, near the intersection of Carolina and Laburnum Avenues prior to the start of each race. Please remember that only two lanes will be open heading eastbound, towards route 360, after Friday nights FUNAI 250 NASCAR Busch Series race and three lanes will be open heading eastbound after Saturday nights Chevy American Revolution 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race.
Henrico County officers will be on hand to direct traffic in and out of Richmond International Raceway. Also, please be aware that the IRS building on Carolina Avenue will not be available for parking throughout the entire race weekend. So, be sure to leave early to avoid heavy traffic prior to the start of the race. We have lots of exciting events going on in the Midway, Chevy Fan Fest and on the track to keep you busy from 9:00 a.m. until the checkered flag waves both Friday and Saturday nights.Below are routes that the Henrico Division of Police recommend motorists follow when heading to Richmond International Raceway on Friday, May 13 or Saturday, May 14:
From the East (Hampton Roads area) - Follow Interstate 64 west to Interstate 295 north (Exit 200). Follow Interstate 295 south and exit onto Meadowbridge Road west (Exit 38B). Follow Meadowbridge Road (Richmond-Henrico Turnpike) and proceed to the raceway.
From the East (Route 360) - Approach Richmond on Route 360 west (Mechanicsville Turnpike), cross Interstate 295, and continue west to Laburnum Avenue. Turn right and proceed to the raceway.
From the East (Local Traffic) - Follow Interstate 64 west and take the Laburnum Avenue Exit (Exit 195). Turn right and proceed to the raceway.
From the North - Follow Interstate 95 south to the Interstate 295 east interchange (marked To Norfolk  Williamsburg). Follow Interstate 295 east and exit onto Chamberlayne Road South/Route 301 (Exit 41B). Follow Chamberlayne Road south to Azalea Avenue. Turn left onto Azalea Avenue and proceed to the raceway.
From the North (Local Traffic) - Use Route 1 (Brook Road) to Azalea Avenue.
From the West - Follow Interstate 64 east to the Powhite Parkway/Laburnum Avenue exit. Take the Laburnum Avenue exit (Exit 186), turn left and proceed to the raceway.
From the South - Follow Interstate 95 north to the Chamberlayne Road/Route 301 exit (Exit 82). Follow Chamberlayne Road south to Azalea Avenue. Turn left onto Azalea Avenue and proceed to the raceway.(RIR)(5-13-2005)

Richmond May Cup Race Sold Out, 27th Time: Richmond International Raceway President Doug Fritz announced that every seat-all 107,097 of them-will be filled for the Chevy American Revolution 400, set for Saturday, May 14 "under the lights." The track's sellout streak of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events is now at 27, spanning nearly 14 years. Nearly 2.5 million fans from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries have attended NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events at Richmond International Raceway during that time. Although tickets for the Chevy American Revolution 400 are no longer available, fans still have the opportunity to catch the
always-exciting NASCAR Busch Series FUNAI 250, set for Friday, May 13th. Those who attend Friday night's FUNAI 250 can also see Wawa Pole Qualifying for the Chevy American Revolution 400, as well as NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series practice. Tickets are on sale now for the action-packed NASCAR Busch Series FUNAI 250 and Wawa Pole Qualifying for the Chevy American Revolution 400 on Friday, May 13 "under the lights" at Richmond International Raceway. Tickets are available online or by calling 1-866-455-RACE (7223).(Richmond International Raceway)(4-15-2005)

"Ukrop's Richmond Race Fest" . is coming in May! The Inaugural "Ukrop's Richmond Race Fest" is scheduled for Thursday, May 12th. The event will be held in downtown Richmond, VA in the "Shockoe Slip" area on Cary Street, between 9th and 14th streets from 6:30 to 8:30pm/et. Ukrop's Super Markets is sponsoring the event, which is a fund-raiser for the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a facility for critically ill children, and a proud charity of NASCAR. The event is also being supported by Kleenex, Duke's, and Kellogg's brands, along with a number of other vendors that have made donations to Victory Junction Gang in exchange for rights to pass out product samples to the patrons attending the event. The Race Fest is being structured as a family friendly street party,
and best of all it is FREE! It will incorporate live music and entertainment on 3 separate stages. Bands scheduled include. "The
Taters" and "Vanishing Point", along with the "Whitlock's" of Radio Disney. Cary Street will be full of vendor sampling booths; show cars
from some of your favorite Nextel Cup and Busch Series Teams; racing simulators; interactive displays and games. A NASCAR driver autograph session will also be held in the lobby of the James Center during this time, along with a silent auction benefiting the kids of Victory Junction Gang.(SMC 500)(4-13-2005)

RIR's Fritz up for Award: Doug Fritz, president of Richmond International Raceway, has been nominated for the 2005 Henrico Business Council Business Leader of the Year award. A business leader is nominated based on his contributions to the Henrico County community. Fritz has spent the last five years working to improve the quality of life not only for the neighborhoods surrounding Richmond International Raceway, but also the entire Henrico County community. With the help of the Neighborhood Committee, Fritz has worked to plan the Neighborhood Picnic, which takes place on National Night Out; the Tree Lighting Ceremony, which involves local school children who provide musical entertainment and tree decorations; and has provided financial assistance to local schools and organizations. All nominees will be honored at a gala awards celebration on Wednesday, April 27th at the Cultural Arts Center in Glen Allen. There, the Henrico Business Council will announce the winner of the 2005 Henrico Business Council Business Leader of the Year.(NASCAR PR)(4-9-2005)

Richmond, Homestead, Phoenix expansion? An International Speedway Corp. official said during a conference call with investor analysts this week that Richmond International Raceway might add more seats soon. Susan Schandel, senior vice president and chief financial officer of ISC, said the company will consider seating expansion at some tracks. "I know we've got quite a bit of demand at Miami, Richmond and Phoenix, so those would be tentative for next year," she said. Richmond seats 107,097.(Roanoke Times)(4-8-2005)

NASCAR.com survey vote Richmond #1: Which track is the favorite among NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series insiders according to a NASCAR.com survey? It's America's Premiere Short Track, Richmond International Raceway. A groundswell of support has steadily grown among many drivers, fans and industry insiders who say that the best track is Richmond International Raceway. The พ-mile, semi-banked layout features the perfect blend of short track "beating and banging" to go along with speeds and passing normally seen at some larger tracks. Richmond International Raceway received 26% of the vote for the "What is your favorite track" question, followed by Daytona International Speedway, Darlington Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway, all of which received 13%.(RIR PR)(3-11-2004)

Sad News: Former Richmond International Raceway owner Paul C. Sawyer, whose vision for a unique motorsports facility
helped make the track into one of the most popular stops on the NASCAR circuit, passed away late yesterday. He was 88. Mr. Sawyer, who promoted NASCAR races in Richmond since 1955, helped modernize Richmond International Raceway with several visionary projects, beginning with paving the once-dirt facility in 1968. As the sport continued to grow and competition increased, Mr. Sawyer rebuilt the .542-mile track into a modern, พ-mile facility during the middle of the 1988 season. Three years later, lights were added to the facility and today, Richmond International Raceway holds two key distinctions that set it apart from any other major motorsports facility in the country that hosts all three major NASCAR touring series and the IRL IndyCar Series: it is the only พ-mile track and it is also the only facility to hold all of its events "under the lights." Mr. Sawyer was born June 26, 1916 in Norfolk, VA, where he later worked at the Naval Air Station from 1939 until his early retirement in 1965. He also served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Along with racetracks in Wilson, NC and Virginia Beach, VA, Mr. Sawyer invested in Richmond International Raceway-then known as "Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds"- with Virginia native and legendary racer Joe Weatherly in 1955. Mr. Sawyer bought Weatherly out of his interest in the tracks and took control of the facility in Richmond in 1956. After the Wilson, NC facility burned down on Easter Sunday in 1958, Mr. Sawyer turned his attention solely to promoting races in Richmond.
Mr. Sawyer ran Richmond International Raceway until he sold the track, along with the surrounding property, to International Speedway
Corporation in 1999. He remained the track's Chairman of the Board until his death. Mr. Sawyer received many accolades for his contribution to motorsports. He is a member of the 2003 class of the Virginia Motorsports Hall of Fame and the 2002 class of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He was honored with the NASCAR Founder's Award as part of NASCAR's 50th anniversary celebration in Hollywood, CA in 1998 and in 1997, he received both the Pocono Raceway Bill France Award of Excellence and the Buddy Shuman Award, which has been presented annually since 1957 to the person or persons who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to NASCAR's top series. He also received the Meyers Brothers Award from the National Motorsports Press Association in 1996. In addition, Mr. Sawyer received an honorary doctorate in commercial science from the University of Richmond in 2001.
Mr. Sawyer is survived by his two sons, Wayne and Billy, three grandsons, one granddaughter and four great grandchildren. Mr. Sawyer was married in 1939 to the former Virginia Weaver of Norfolk, who passed away in 2003. Funeral arrangements are pending.(RIR PR)NASCAR Statement: NASCAR Vice Chairman Bill France issued the following statement regarding the passing of Paul Sawyer, Chairman of the Board at Richmond International Raceway. Sawyer passed away Saturday night (Feb. 26). "As NASCAR continues to grow in popularity and potential, all of us are continually reminded of our sport's roots, and the many people who were so important to laying the foundation for what we enjoy today. Paul Sawyer was one of those people. He was most certainly an
important part of NASCAR's history. Paul took Richmond's race track and created one of the most modern facilities in all of NASCAR. Richmond International Raceway today is considered one of our fans' favorite facilities. Paul made his mark, without a doubt. The racing world, starting with NASCAR, will miss him."(NASCAR PR)(2-27-2005)

Richmond May cuts down to 2-days for May races: In a cost-cutting measure for Busch Series teams, Richmond International Raceway is shortening the NASCAR schedule for its May weekend from three days to two. Both the Nextel Cup and Busch Series will practice and qualify Friday, May 13, followed by the FUNAI 250 Busch Series race that night. Under new NASCAR rules, each series will be limited to one practice. Busch and Cup cars will be impounded after qualifying to prevent teams from spending extra money and effort on special setups. Busch practice and qualifying previously was held Thursdays during RIR's May race weekend. The schedule for RIR's second race weekend, which will feature the IROC, Craftsman Truck, Busch and Nextel Cup series Sept 8-10, will remain unchanged.(Richmond Times-Dispatch)(12-22-2004)

Air Freshner in a race car, less anger IMAGE: With short-track Richmond International Raceway being the next stop on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit, dont be surprised to see Scott Riggs piloting his race machine around the 0.75-mile track with an AroMetrics air freshener hanging from the roll cage. In a recently released study, drivers were found to be more alert and experienced less fatigue when the scent of pine was added to the car interior. The study also revealed that drivers demonstrated a decreased level of anger [hmm.. maybe Kurt Busch, Michael Waltrip and Jeff Green can get some air freshners] and improved overall driving performance when exposed to strawberry and pine scents. Its amazing that something as simple as a smell can make a difference while youre driving, offered Riggs, who will be behind the wheel of a specially designed AroMetrics/Valvoline Chevrolet in this weekends Chevy American Revolution 400. Imagine what a nice clean race we could have if everyone had AroMetrics in the car. The researchers at Wheeling Jesuit University (Wheeling, W.Va.) who conducted the study, used a car simulator, exposing participants to pine and strawberry scents, and monitoring driving tendencies, including lane tracking, speed, collisions, and reaction times, as well as behavioral factors such as alertness, fatigue, anger and overall performance. The study used AroMetrics new Auto Fragrance System air fresheners as the method of dispensing the scent in the simulated car environment.(MB2/MBV Motorsports), see an image of the scheme on my #10 Team Schemes page.(5-13-2005)

Different scheme for the #11 at RIR: For the first time this season, the #11 FedEx Chevrolet will carry the purple, green and white colors of the FedEx operating company of FedEx Ground. The FedEx Ground scheme is one of four rotating schemes involving the FedEx operating companies of FedEx Express, FedEx Freight and FedEx Kinko's that will be featured on the #11 machine throughout the season.(JGR), see an image of the scheme on my #11 Team Schemes page.(5-13-2005)

Bass Pro Shops to sponsor #07 at Richmond; #31 at Chicago: Bass Pro Shops will be the primary sponsor of Richard Childress Racing's (RCR) #07 Chevrolet in this weekend's Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) and its #31 Chevrolet in the July 10 Chicagoland 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Driver Dave Blaney's full-time sponsor, Jack Daniel's, will
be prominently featured on the #07 car's lower quarter panels and deck lid this weekend. In turn, Cingular Wireless, Jeff Burton's primary sponsor, will receive prominent placement on the #31 car highlighting Bass Pro Shops ongoing involvement with RCR. The outdoor
retail giant is also the primary sponsor of RCR's #33 Chevrolet four-race superspeedway program with driver Kerry Earnhardt. For
more information go to www.basspro.com.(RCR)(5-10-2005)

Roundup to sponsor Edwards at Richmond: Roush Racing and Scotts Team Racing announced that the #99 Ford of Carl Edwards will carry the Roundup Extended Control logo and new paint scheme as the primary sponsor for the upcoming races at Richmond International Raceway on May 14 and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 28. Roundup Extended Control is an exciting new product that was recently introduced, and was specially developed to take weed and grass control to a whole new level. For more information on Roundup or any of the Scotts products visit www.roundup.com, or www.scotts.com.(Roush Racing)(5-10-2005)

Bobby Labonte To Drive Boniva Car at Richmond: GlaxoSmithKline, Roche, and Joe Gibbs Racing, plan to help raise awareness of Boniva (ibandronate sodium), a new medicine for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Boniva will be the primary sponsor for the #18 Chevrolet driven by Bobby Labonte at the Chevy American Revolution 400 May 14 at Richmond International Raceway. In addition to the Richmond race, which is during Osteoporosis Awareness Month, Labonte will drive a Boniva-sponsored car at a second race later this summer. The sponsorship comes in the wake of the Surgeon General'sReport elevating osteoporosis to a major public health threat on par with smoking and obesity.(Camp and Associates/Joe Gibbs Racing)(5-6-2005)

'Reverse' scheme for Martin: For the first time of the "Salute Tour," #6-Mark Martin and the Viagra* Team will run the special 'reverse' night scheme this weekend at Phoenix, in this year's first night race of the season. Martin will run the scheme at all night races in 2005.(Roush Racing)(4-19-2005)

Kyle Busch as Darth: #5-Kyle Busch will sport a Star Wars Episode III paint scheme at Richmond in May that will feature Darth Vader.(RacingOne)(2-11-2005)